Apparatus for handling coal for gas-producer plants.



No. 735,422. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903.

M. M. SUPPES.

APPARATUS PORHANDLING GOAL FOR GAS PRODUCER PLANTS.

APPLIOATION FILED, MAY 13, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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No. 735,422. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903. M M. SUPPES.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING GOAL FOR GAS PRODUCER PLANTS.

APPLICATION rxmm mm 1a, 1903. no MODEL. 2 sums-sum a.

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7 0 UNITED STATES PATENT Patented August 4, 1903.

OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COAL FOR GAS-PRODUCER PLANTS.

sPEcIFIoA'rIoN formingpart of Letters Patent No. 735,422, dated August 4, 1903.

Application filed May 13, 1903. serial no. 157,003. (No model.)

ings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to apparatus for handling coal for gas-producer plants, the object of the invention being to provide means whereby the coal consumed by the producers may be delivered thereto at a minimum cost for handling and with the production of as little slack as possible. p i

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the ap-f pended claims, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a View showing in elevation the apparatus and arrangement thereof embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of part of the producers and the coal bins or hoppers surmounting the same; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 4 a detail sectional View of a portion of the grating.

A designates the producers, arranged in line and surmounted by a'series of coal bins or hoppers B,which deliver coal to theproducers through the depending chutes O.

. supports the bins or hoppers B.

D is -a traveling gauntree-crane, one leg of which travels on the surface-tracks E, running parallel with the producers, and the other leg on a track E on the frame B, which F is a motor-operated hoist-carriage running on the truss of the crane and operating a clam-shell hoist-bucket G. f

I designates the stock-pile, and J a track upon which are run the cars J which bring the coal to the plant.

K is an unloading-pit.

L is a grating which covers over the entire top of the series of bins or hoppers B and formed by a series of spaced ed gewise-disposed Goal is ordinarily received at these plants in both gondala 'and drop-bottom cars, and suflicient coal is ordinarily carried in stock in the pile I to keep the plant in operationin cases of delays in receipt of fresh stock. In the arrangement shown and described gondola cars may be unloaded by means of the bucket G, the coal being taken thereby either 'into the bins or hoppers B or into the stockpile I. In the case of drop-bottom cars they may be unloaded directlyinto the pit K, from which the coal is taken by the bucket either to the bins or to the stock pile.

Slack coal does not give good results in gasproducers, and it is desirable to use run-ofmine coal, much of which, however, is too large and requires to be broken to the proper size. This might be done with a crusher; but this I wish to avoid, as it would make too large a percentage 'of slack'coal, and, furthermore, would increase considerably the expense of installation and operation. I thereby provide the grate L, above referred to, which covers over the top of the bins or hoppers and ontoiwhich the coal is delivered by the bucket either from the cars, the unloading-pit, orfthe'stock-pile. The bars 1 composing this grating are so spaced as to exclude from the bins all lumps of coal above a certain size, these being left upon the grating in position to be broken by alaborer walking back and forth the length of the run with a sledge. arrangement one laborercan readily look after the full length of the run and can in ten hours break all the coal which is required to run the producers for twenty-four hours. Furthermore, the coal from'the cars or stockpile can always be delivered at any point along the bins where needed, whereas if a crusher be used all co'al must be taken to the point where the crusher is located or else the crusher must be mountedto travel back and forth over the bins, and thereby largely increase the cost of installation and operation.

. M designates floors running alongside the bins and also forming the roof of the producer-buildings. These floorstfacilitate the action of the laborer in working back and forth along'the grating in breaking thelumpsof coal retained thereon.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described, as changes may be made in the details thereof By this without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus for handling coal for gasproducer plants, the combination with the series of bins or hoppers having the grating extending across their tops, of the crane arranged to traverse the said bins or hoppers, the unloading-tracks and stock-pile also traversed by said crane, and the hoist-bucket carried by the crane.

2. In coal-handling apparatus for gas-producer plants, the combination with an extended series of coal bins or hoppers surmounting the producers, and arranged to deliver coal thereto, and means for delivering coal to said bins or hoppers, of a grating extending along the top of the bins or hoppers and through which the coal is delivered thereto, said grating being arranged to exclude from the bins all coal above a given size and to retain the same in position to be broken manually thereon.

3. In apparatus for handling coal for gasproducers, the combination with the series of bins arranged to deliver coal to the pro ducers, of a grating forming the top of said bins and having its bars spaced to exclude from the bins all coal above a determined size, and means for delivering coal to said grating throughout its length.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with the series of bins arranged to deliver coal to gas-producers, and having a grating along their top, of an unloading-track parallel with said bins, a trav- 

